Today was exhausting. We left our original campsite and got a site inside Zion for much cheaper. At about 9am we started hiking our first trail, about 3 miles. After that we set out for one of the most challenging trails in the park and one of their most famous: Angels Landing. This was a 5 mile hike scaling 1500 feet off the canyon floor. When we reached the first summit, we were shocked to see that the trail continued on over a very narrow ridge of rocks with 1000 foot drops on either side. Chains were bolted into the stones for people to hold onto along this part of the trail. Not only did you have to watch every single step to preserve your safety, but you also had to contend with the whipping wind throwing off your balance. I was amazed that they allowed people to do this trail without signing some kind of waiver. Four grueling hours later, we were safely back on stable terra firma. The view from the top though was totally worth it, rivaling anything we’ve seen so far. Zion is amazing in that it is like a whole different world contained within this canyon in the desert. A river runs through it all, allowing for abundant life. Wind and water have shaped the canyons in very unique ways as well. We spent the rest of the day just playing cards around the campsite as none of us had much energy left from such an epic climb.
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| The plateau on the left is what we climbed |
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| Our trail was this ridge... |
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| Almost had him. |
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